British cyclist Jonathan Tiernan-Locke was suspended for two years and fired by Team Sky on Thursday for doping.
Tiernan-Locke was banned for discrepancies in his biological passport, which tracks a rider’s blood profile over time to look for evidence of doping, the International Cycling Union (UCI) said.
Team Sky said it terminated his contract “with immediate effect” after receiving the UCI’s confirmation of the doping offense.
Photo: AFP
The UCI announced in December last year that Tiernan-Locke faced a disciplinary hearing after analysis of his biological passport showed “use of prohibited substances and/or methods.”
His suspension was listed on Thursday on the UCI Web site. His ban lasts through Dec. 31 next year.
Tiernan-Locke won the Tour of Britain in 2012 and was considered the next big star in British cycling.
Team Sky has produced the past two Tour de France champions, British riders Bradley Wiggins in 2012 and Chris Froome last year.
The suspicious readings in Tiernan-Locke’s biological passport were taken in September 2012, shortly before he signed a two-year contract with Team Sky and three months before his first race with the team.
“Jonathan’s contract has been terminated today,” Sky principal Dave Brailsford said. “Whilst there have been no doubts about his time with us, his doping violation — from readings taken before he joined this team — means there’s no place for him in Team Sky. We’ve a well-known stance on anti-doping and our action is the inevitable outcome of a violation. This is a team that trains, races and wins clean.”
Sky said Tiernan-Locke’s biological passport was not reviewed until the spring of last year, once anti-doping authorities collected enough readings.
Tiernan-Locke had not raced for the team since September last year and had not taken part in any team activities since he was formally notified of the violation on Dec. 16 last year.
Manchester United on Tuesday confirmed Michael Carrick as interim manager until the end of the season, tasking him with leading the Red Devils back into the UEFA Champions League. “Having the responsibility to lead Manchester United is an honor,” said Carrick, 44, who won 12 major trophies in his 12-year playing career at United. The former midfielder previously had an unbeaten three-game stint as caretaker boss at Old Trafford in 2021. Carrick then took on his first permanent managerial role at second-tier Middlesbrough in October 2022 and was sacked in June last year after the club finished 10th in the
Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg on Wednesday was ruled out for the second half of their 118-109 loss to the Denver Nuggets after the No. 1 pick sprained his left ankle in the first half. Flagg was called for a foul while defending against Peyton Watson and turned the ankle as he fell to the floor with 6 minutes, 1 second left in the second quarter. Flagg limped to the bench and continued to the locker room, but returned for the final 2 minutes, 35 seconds before the break. The 19-year-old did not come out for the second half before the announcement that
Yassine Bounou on Wednesday saved two penalties, while Youssef en-Nesyri netted the decisive spot-kick as hosts Morocco secured a 4-2 shoot-out victory over Nigeria following a 0-0 draw in a tense Africa Cup of Nations semi-final in Rabat. Morocco, seeking their first continental title in 50 years, are to face 2021 winners Senegal in Sunday’s decider in Rabat, while Nigeria take on Egypt in the third-place playoff tomorrow. The 120 minutes before the shoot-out had few clear-cut chances for either side, but it was Morocco who created more opportunities, although they were denied by some fine saves from Nigeria goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali. Nigeria
James Harden on Friday scored 31 points and came up big in overtime to help the Los Angeles Clippers erase a double-digit deficit on the way to a 121-117 NBA victory over the Toronto Raptors. Harden scored 16 points in the fourth quarter and overtime as the Clippers pushed their wining steak to five games despite the absence of star Kawhi Leonard with a sprained right ankle. The Clippers trailed by 11 entering the fourth quarter, but Harden drilled a pair of free-throws with 1:24 left in regulation to tie it and after misses from both teams, they went to
RSS